- by Becca

Great suggestion, and think we will add a preferred tools list or staff pick list for tools and supplies. Scattered throughout the site & blog we do make a few recommendations for items like glue sticks or pens. We can start by gathering the information already available and then continue the process by reviewing other tools we use. Keep your eyes posted for details.

- by LCI Paper

Prevent Ink Smudge, Use Wedding Tissue

Have you ever received a wedding invitation in the mail and wondered; “What’s the deal with these little pieces of tissue paper?” “Is there a reason these are in here?” “Should I send one back with my reply?” If you aren’t familiar with tissue, you aren’t alone.

Rooted in tradition, the primary purpose of wedding tissue is to prevent smudging. The tradition dates back hundreds of years to the days of hand written invitations when tissue was placed on top of ink to keep it from smudging during mailing; a practical use that still holds true today.

Tissue is often used for aesthetic reasons as well. Tissue not only prevents smudging, but is also a stylish way to decorate and keep your invitations neat and elegant. It also adds a sense of intrigue, as guests will have to move the slightly translucent tissue aside to reveal invitation wording.

Wedding Tissue Paper in the Sizes, Colors, & Styles You Need

Traditional Wedding Tissue
Wedding tissue is used to cover just the wording of an invitation card, not the entire surface of the card. For this reason, traditional wedding tissue is fairly small. LCI offers traditional white wedding tissue in one square and one rectangular size to fit most popular wedding card sizes.

Traditional tissue is a thin, single ply, slightly transparent paper that feels similar to gift wrapping tissue. Due to its basic nature, traditional tissue is extremely affordable!

Specialty Wedding Tissue
For both practical and decorative purposes, LCI also offers specialty wedding tissue. Specialty tissue a two-ply tissue paper with a soft, cloth like feel. It is available in multiple colors and patterns, and in a greater selection of sizes than traditional tissue.

Shop Traditional & Specialty Wedding Tissue Paper

Invitation Tissues - Traditional

Invitation Tissues - Specialty

 

Ideas On How To Use Wedding Tissue

Tissue Placed Between Cards Will Keep Your Invitation Ensemble Tidy

For an organized look, place a single piece of tissue over the wording of your invitation, reception, and/or direction cards. Some people also place a piece between the response card and envelope. By keeping each card separate, your ensemble will arrive at your guests’ homes neat, clean, and looking great.

Note: Shown here, Specialty Invitation Tissue – 3 ½ x 5 ½ -Uzumaki White

Add Tissue to Your Folder Invitation – Its Keeps The Sides Separate & Smudge Free

Place a single piece of tissue inside of an invitation folder as both a decorative and practical insert. With a tissue in place, the two sides of the folder are prevented from rubbing up against one another during mailing.

Note: Shown here, Specialty Invitation Tissue – 4 ⅞ x 6 ⅞ – Unryu White.

Use Tissues With Pocket Fold Invitations – It Prevents “Pocket Stain”

Occasionally during the rigors of mailing, the printing on the invitation card smudges in the shape of the pocket that sits up against it. The result is “pocket stain”, an unsightly smudge easily prevented by invitation tissue.
See right.

Place a single piece of tissue on top of the invitation card, then fold. This way, your invitation card and pocket components have no contact, and no chance of smudging.

Note: Shown here, traditional 6 x 6 white wedding tissue over invitation, trimmed 3 1/2 x 5 1/2 tissue over response card.

Use Specialty Tissue to Decorate Invitations. Pretty & Practical!

Japanese tissue is traditional, practical, and can also be a beautiful decorative addition to invitation ensembles.

Here are some ideas on decorating your invitations with tissue paper, view the following:
How to Use Tissue Paper to Decorate Wedding Invitations

Additional Steps to Take to Preventing Smudging During Mailing-
Request Invitations Be Hand Cancelled

Tissue does a great job from preventing ink smudge in invitations, but it can only do so much. It is recommended you request invitations be hand cancelled at the post office. It is your best defense against the rigors of mailing.

Interested about the different Gmund paper brands that we carry?

All Gmund papers are produced at a small, but world-renowned paper mill in the village of Gmund. The mill is located in the south of Germany at the edge of Lake Tegernsee, in the Bavarian Alps. In operation since 1829, Gmund is dedicated to producing quality paper and protecting their environment.

Gmund Color System – 15 Colors

With more than a dozen colors in text and heavy cover weights, the Gmund Color System is the heart of the brand. And within the Gmund Color System you’ll find Contact, a line of translucent vellum paper with color tones to complement your creativity.

Vice Versa – Vibrant Textures

Vice Versa is a heavy cover stock highlighted by a ribbed, vergé texture that feels great to the touch. Choose from more than 15 colors that also work in conjunction with the Gmund Color System.

Savanna – Woodgrain Cardstock

Another uniquely textured paper is Savanna which features an embossed wood grain pattern in colors inspired by the African continent. The perfect compliment for your natural design or a natural color palette, our Savanna Woodgrain Cardstock is incredibly life-like, this paper is a must see!

Reaction – Metallic Iridescent Finish

As you’re learning, Gmund produces amazing and unique papers that we’re proud to offer. Another must see line is Reaction where the shimmering, metallic paper surface changes depending on the way the light falls. One side of the paper features the metallic, mica-infused surface while the other is complemented with a certain matte finish color.

Owned by the Kohler family for a century and counting, many of the Gmund papers carried at LCI are produced in the “Old Lady,” Europe’s oldest in service paper machine.

Now let’s talk about environmental considerations. Not only has Gmund achieved FSC certification, but they follow their own self imposed 100% Eco-Sustainability charter. Here are some specifics:

70% of the mill’s energy comes from water-power, solar-power, and heat cogeneration.

As you may know, water is one of the key ingredients used in paper making. Gmund’s one-of-a-kind ozone purification system processes the water they use and purifies it without the use of chemicals. The water is tested to make sure it is drinking quality and then returned to the river which is a water source for Munich City.

Gmund makes quality paper while protecting and treasuring their environment, and all of these papers are in stock and ready to ship. If you have any question about Gmund papers, get in touch. We’d love to provide you with an answer.

Add a splash of color with Japanese Paper!

Whether you’re just discovering the world of Japanese paper or you’re here for a specific sheet, our selection of over 125 different styles, patterns, and colors means that beautiful, decorative Japanese paper is just around the corner, in-stock, ready to ship.

Gilded patterns inspired by Japanese Kimonos.

On first visit to our Japanese paper section, many people are drawn to our Chiyogami paper with vibrant patterns based on traditional symbols representing beauty, good fortune and long life. You might use Chiyogami to add a decorative element to your invitation, to make a custom envelope liner, or even as Origami paper. Each variety of Chiyogami paper is silk screened by hand, a labor intensive process requiring a separate screen for each color pattern.

There’s much more to our premium washi paper selection!

But Chiyogami is just one type of Japanese paper that we offer. Modern Classics are machine-versions of traditional and delicate papers with all the beauty without the limitations; meaning you can print at home and fold paper that, for example, looks like brittle wood veneer.

We also carry other versions of Japanese paper including delicate looking tissue that is deceptively strong, card stock with a distinctly Japanese linen finish, and smooth, floral-patterned vellum, to name a few more.

All of our Japanese paper is made in Japanese studios—small, family-run businesses utilizing renewable plant fibers, respecting water sources, and making sure nothing goes to waste throughout the paper making process.

For the full effect, this is a paper you have to see and feel!

We invite you to order samples. See the paper with your own eyes. Run your fingers over the surface. We think that once you experience Japanese paper, you’re going to go out of your way to use it. And if you have any questions, please get in touch with us. We’d be happy to answer them.

A Pen That Works with You

You want a pen that will work with you, not against you. When using Gel Pens, Gelly Roll pens in particular, we find ink flows far better than with a standard ballpoint pen. There’s less resistance on the envelopes and less pressure we have to apply with our fingers as we write. It makes for a more comfortable writing experience. This is why gel pens are our top choice.

Pros:

• Smooth flow makes writing easier
• Opaque ink creates a bolder line
• Can be found in light colors like white & pink – a great solution to contrast dark colored envelopes
• Often better on non-absorbent metallic finish envelopes
• Sparkling and glowing ink options available
• Nontoxic ink produces less hazardous waste

Cons:

• Ink is consumed faster than ballpoint pen
• Slower to dry & easier to smudge

An Easier Writing Experience

So how exactly do gel pens make writing easier? Inside the pen, the pigment that determines the ink color is suspended in a water-based gel. The percentage of pigment is actually greater than in standard pens. The result is a thicker, bolder, opaque ink that feels smoother and is less resistant when writing.

Shop Gelly Roll Pens!

Classic Gelly Roll Pens

Metallic Gelly Roll Pens

Moonlight Gelly Roll Pens

Shadow Gelly Roll Pens

Stardust Gelly Roll Pens

 

You Don’t Have to Be a Calligrapher to Address like One

Not proficient in Calligraphy writing? Not a problem.

The angled tip of a Calligraphy Pen or Marker is designed for calligraphy handwriting, making it easier for addressing your envelopes with style. You should give this pen strong consideration when you’d like to add the look of calligraphy to your own handwriting. We give calligraphy pens & markers an honorable mention.

Pros:

• Special angled tip adds the look of calligraphy to your handwriting
• Less drying time & smudge resistant
• Produces bold lines with great saturation & opacity on matte finish envelopes
• Metallic gold & silver pens available for great performance on metallic finish envelopes & even dark colored envelopes
• Ink may be archival, water resistant & non-toxic

Cons:

• Thicker lines may require writing larger text
• Ink may appear translucent on non-matte envelope surfaces like metallic envelopes

What type of pen did you use for your wedding invitations? Would you recommend the same pen to someone else or would you offer another suggestion? Share your experience with us!

PC100 made by Monadnock Paper Mills in Bennington, New Hampshire, USA is a sound, environmental choice for quality, 100% post consumer waste recycled paper.

Wanting to know more about the manufacturing process of PC100 & how it compares to other recycled papers, we contacted Mike Barry who has been with Monadnock Paper Mills since 2003. Mike met with us at our Marlborough, Massachusetts facility to discuss responsible fiber sourcing and their commitment to protecting the environment.

Here is a transcript of our conversation:

What sets PC100 apart from other recycled papers?

We manufacture PC100 with 100% post consumer recycled fiber and we only use the highest quality post consumer waste fiber available.

In the waste stream, there are different qualities of post consumer fiber. The company we use to source our post consumer fiber sorts the waste according to its origins. For our purpose, most of the fiber, if not all, is sourced from paper used in office copy machines so it’s quite bright to begin with. The paper is de-inked, the toner removed, and we end up with a very bright white, very clean, 100% post consumer recycled paper.

You’ve just described high quality fiber reclaimed for PC100 production, but what about an example of lower quality fiber?

In terms of brightness and dirt count, the fiber used to make corrugated and chipboard would be an example of lower quality.

For those that might not be aware of the difference, can you clarify recycled paper vs. post consumer recycled paper?

There are distinct differences between the two. Let me give you an example of recycled paper. A paper mill, for example, could make too much of a particular grade of paper and keep the overage in the plant. They could then turn that back into paper again and call it recycled.

A second example is an envelope manufacturer that die cuts envelopes out of a sheet of paper. All the cutoff can be used to make recycled paper.

In both of these examples, the product never went into the marketplace. It never got to the consumer.

Post consumer makes a much stronger statement about reclaiming fiber that otherwise would have gone to the landfill versus “recycled” fiber which is simply an industrial byproduct that is being remade back into paper. And that’s the important distinction between post consumer recycled fiber and recycled fiber.

What else makes PC100 environmentally friendly paper?

What makes Astrolite PC 100 a sustainable product goes beyond the fact that it is manufactured with post consumer waste. In fact, there are many other attributes you should know about when it comes to 1) buying paper, and 2) concern about the paper’s impact on the environment.

You would certainly start with the source of the fiber before it becomes paper. Is the fiber source FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified or SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative)? These two organizations certify if woodlands are being sustainably managed.

A lot of people wonder, can you actually get post consumer waste that is FSC certified?

The answer is yes you can. In addition to the certification of virgin fiber (fiber made from trees), there is also a certification for post consumer recycled fiber. Monadnock only uses this type of fiber in the production of PC 100.

When investigating environmentally friendly papers, what other questions should paper shoppers ask?

An important question to ask would be,

Where is the paper manufactured and what are the manufacturing practices of the mill?

Meaning you can buy post consumer waste to make recycled paper, but what if the paper is not produced in an environmentally responsible way?

In the case of Monadnock, we have one of the strongest environmental programs in the industry. For example, all of our electrical energy comes from renewable resources. In our case it’s a combination of water power which we produce on site and wind power that we buy from our public utility in the form of wind power credits.

We’ve also invested in third party certified carbon offset credits so that we’re a carbon neutral manufacturing facility. That is another way that companies can make an investment in being environmentally sustaining.

The treatment of water—how the mill treats their water and what quality of water are they returning to the watershed are important considerations.

All of these factors are important and we have ongoing programs for each. For example, we are the only manufacturer of our type that has earned ISO 14001 certification. The ISO (International Standards Organization) is an international organization that offers a certification program in manufacturing processes and environmental sustainability.

Would you say the general public probably knows less about ISO than FSC?

No doubt about it. If they have heard of ISO, they’re more familiar with the 9000, 9001, 9002 certification which is all about manufacturing practices and policies where the 14001 is about environmental management.

So when you’re thinking about promoting products that are environmental, think about it beyond the content of the paper. Think about a total picture. Is it being made in a sustainable way while protecting the environment? These are as important as the paper itself.

What about the actual paper quality and color? Recycled paper is known for having specks on the finish.

As I mentioned, PC100 uses high quality fiber so it’s quite bright to begin with. It’s very clean and has a very low, what we call “dirt count”—those specks that you mentioned. You will see some; it’s the nature of the product. Little tiny pieces of toner that don’t get totally removed could show up in the sheet. But on average, we make the very cleanest, brightest recycled fiber in the market.

In terms of other attributes? Well, the shade of the paper is a blue white shade. It has a little bit of fluorescence in the sheet which gives it that nice bright white appearance.

But you don’t actually see a blue tone.

Correct. When we talk about paper having a blue white shade, we are talking about where the paper falls in range of whites. Papers that are described as blue white tend to look brighter and whiter to the eye, but they are still white.

The formation of the sheet is also critical. That is, how well and evenly made is the paper? When you look at a sheet of paper up through a light source like a window, does it look even to you or does it look what we call “modally”—cloudy. If it looks even, it’s a well made sheet of paper and it will print well.

Touch is another thing. One thing about uncoated post consumer paper is that it has a tactile sense to it. It’s warm and inviting. Uncoated paper gives you those benefits.

Many of our customers use our papers for printing their most important keepsakes like wedding invitations. How would you address their need for paper that will last a very long time?

Our papers are archival. They’re calcium carbonate buffered which means that they will meet decades of extended storage. They won’t yellow, particularly if not exposed to high ultraviolet light source.

We hope you enjoyed our conversation with Mike Barry. We learned a great deal about what makes PC100 a sustainable choice in paper and Monadnock Paper Mill’s sound environmental practices. If you have any questions about PC100 and the way it is manufactured, post a comment.

Want to learn more about Monadnock Paper Mills? Listen to our audio interview with Geoff Verney, VP of Strategic Customer Relations & Corporate Communications.

If you’re looking for the easiest way to print invitations for Weddings, Parties or Birthdays using your home computer and printer, our Printable Invitation Cards are the way to go! Here’s Why:

• Print On Standard 8 1/2 x 11 Size Paper, Not Smaller Cards
• Invitations Formatted 2 or 4 Invitations Per Sheet
• 65lb Smooth Card Stock, Super Easy For Laser Or Inkjet
• Free Print Templates
• After Printing Simply Separate & Mail

Printable Invitation Cards In 6 Easy Steps

Step 1: Download Free Word Printing Template

• Find your free printing template linked in the Specifications area as shown
• Word document template is contained in a Zip file
• Template is correctly sized for each invitation, complete with sample wording to get your started

Trouble finding your free template? See our video, How To Download & Use LCI Paper’s Computer Printing Templates

Step 2: Customize the Template By Entering Your Event Details

• Change template’s sample wording and make it your own
• Be as creative as you can with your choice of font(s), font size, and even font color
• Optionally, add graphics, a monogram, or anything else that will add to your event theme
• Save the document and give it a file name you’ll remember

Step 3: Load Invitations Into Printer

• Load invitation paper short edge first as you would with ordinary copy paper

Step 4: In Print Driver Set Printing Orientation to Landscape

Since the Word printing template for this type of invitation is oriented in Landscape mode, not Portrait, you must choose Landscape in your printer’s driver.

Step 5: Print Invitations

• You’ve done all the setup. Now print your invitations!

For testing purposes, we suggesting printing a single sheet first.

Step 6: Fold & Separate the Invitations

• Fold along the micro-perforated edges, then fold backwards to loosen the cards from each other
• Gently tear to separate the 2 or 4 invitations from each other

Shop Our Printable Invitation Cards!

Plain Printable Invites

Embossed Printable Invites

Foil Printable Invitations

 

Share Your Printing Experience with Us!

We hope this tutorial gives you the confidence and the knowledge that you can print your own elegant invitations at home. We’d love to hear about your successful printing on our 2 Up Invitations. Post a comment and tell us about your experience.

Many people do not realize you can print these small 3 x 5 RSVP envelopes in your home printer. But you can! Read our short tutorial and master the techniques needed to print these envelopes at home.

This Tutorial Will Show You

• How To Set Up A Template In Microsoft Word
• How To Format & Center Your Address Copy
• How To Access & Change Your Printer Settings For A Perfect Envelope

Step 1: How To Load RSVP – Response Card Envelopes in Printer

• Load envelopes, front side up & short edge first into printer’s paper input tray
  Envelope’s right edge should rest flush against right edge of paper tray
• Move sliding paper guide from left to right until it rests flush against the envelope’s left edge

For testing purposes you may want to try & print a single RSVP envelope first!

Check your printer manual for proper envelope loading in your particular printer.

Step 2: Create An Address Template for Your RSVP Envelopes

LCI’s RSVP Envelopes are all one standard size, 3 5/8 x 5 1/8. As you set up your print template document, you will enter these dimensions (as decimals) in Microsoft Word.

• In Word, create a new document

Enter Envelope Addresses

• Type name & address where guests’ RSVPs will be sent
• Customize text using your choice of font & font size
• Center text horizontally using paragraph center alignment button
• Center text vertically by placing cursor in front of text and repeatedly hitting Enter key until text is centered. If text is too low, use Backspace key.

Step 3: Access Printer Driver – Enter Width, Height & Alignment

Your printer is programmed to print 8 1/2 x 11 size paper so you need to communicate the Response Envelope’s size in the printer’s software or “driver.” Otherwise your address will not print correctly on the envelope.

Since you loaded your envelope on its side (short edge first), the short side is referred to as the width measurement and the long side is the height measurement in the print driver.

You will also need to select Landscape printing as opposed to Portrait.

All this is communicated in the print driver. Access it from within Word to make adjustments.

Step 4: Print Test Envelope, Then Print Entire Run

• Click OK to save your print driver settings and close the driver
• Click OK to complete the print job
  If you are pleased with your printed envelope, then you are ready to print the entire batch:
• Load 10 envelopes at a time into your printer’s paper input tray in the same way you loaded the single envelope in Step 1
• When each set of 10 envelopes have printed, your printer will pause so that you can load another 10.

If We Can Help, We Will

We hope these instructions have given you the confidence to print your Response Envelopes at home, but if you have any questions, get in touch with us so we can help.

Ready to shop for Response Card Envelopes or matching Response Cards? We have dozens of colors from which to choose, in stock and ready to ship!

What is the Best Weight Paper for Making Wedding Invitations?

People making their own wedding invitations very commonly ask what weight of paper is best for the job. Unfortunately this commonly asked question has no concrete answer, but instead an answer that varies from person to person, situation to situation. The best weight paper for your wedding invitations is the weight that works best for you.

So how do you determine which weight is right for you and your DIY wedding invitations? Simply take take the following factors into consideration;

• Printing
• Invitation Style
• Postage
• Preference

And you’ll be sure to choose just the right paper weight for your wedding invitations. Read on to learn more!

1. Printing: How Will Your Invitation Paper be Printed?
Whether DIY or Professional, Be Sure to Do Your Research!

Whether you are printing your invitations at home or taking them to a local professional printer, printing is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a weight of paper for your invitations. Not all weights of paper are compatible with all printers, and you certainly do not want to choose a paper that is too heavy for your home printer, or any professional printer, to handle.

The bottom line is, before selecting a weight of paper for your wedding invitations, be sure to research your home or local printer to determine the weight range it can handle.

Home Printing – Not all Printers are Created Equal

Many people regularly use their home printers to print standard, light weight office paper, but don’t often use them to print heavier weight card stocks. Though most home printers are capable of printing card stock up to 80 lb cover (similar to an average greeting card)*, it is important to note that not all printers are created equal. The most accurate way to determine the maximum weight of paper that your printer can handle is through research and test printing.

If you are unsure of the maximum paper weight your printer can handle, or have never printed card stock on your home printer:

• Consult your printer manual for card stock printing information and recommendations
• Test print to determine actual results with various weights

Note*: Need help understanding paper weight?
Please view the following:

Paper by Weight: A Quick Guide to Paper Weight Basics

Professional Printing – Not all Print Shops Have the Same Capabilities

It is often assumed that professional print shops and chain office stores are capable of printing card stocks of any weight, but this isn’t necessarily true. Just as all home printers are different, all print shops have different printing equipment and different printing capabilities.

Again, before choosing a paper for your invitations, be sure to do your research:

• Phone or visit local print shops to learn more about their equipment and capabilities
• Bring in sample sheets of various weights for test prints and additional information

2. Invitation Style: What Kind of Invitation are You Making?
Flat Card, Folding Card, Layered Card. . .

When choosing a paper weight, it is important to consider the type of invitation you are making, as some weight ranges work better than others for various styles:

Single, Flat Invitation Cards – Can Go a Little Heavier

Because single, flat invitation cards are made of just one piece of card stock, the most popular paper weight choice for this invitation style is 80 lb cover and up; card stocks with quite a bit of substance.

If your printing, budget, or other limitations prohibit you from using a card stock in this weight range, you will simply need to seek a stock that is sturdy enough to hold its own weight, so to speak. Any stock over 65 lb cover should do the trick.

Folding Cards – Can Go a Little Lighter

Folding invitation cards are typically made with lighter weight card stock than flat cards are, as they are twice as thick after folding, and lighter weight card stock is often easier to fold.

A popular weight range for folding invitation cards is between 65 and 80 lb cover, but you can certainly go heavier, if you prefer.

Layered Cards – Can Go Lighter & Heavier

The beauty of layered invitation cards is that you have the flexibility to design with just about any weight paper you choose, so long as the top layer is within your printing capabilities. When choosing paper weights for layered invitation cards, keep a few rules of thumb in mind:

• Printable top layer can be as light weight as you prefer or as printing requires
• Invitation backer card can be as heavy as you like – no printing, no restrictions!
• Keep bulk in mind – if you have 3 or more layers, lighten up on the paper weight

3. Postage: How Much Will Your Invitation Ensemble Weigh?
How Will Weight Affect Postage?

If you are concerned with the price of wedding invitation postage*, this will factor will be particularly important for you to consider in your paper weight selection process.

Note*: Concerned about the price of postage? Here are some additional design tips to keep postage down:
Video: What Size Invitation Should I Make if I Want to Save on Postage?

According to the United States Postal Service guidelines, anything weighing over 1 ounce requires additional postage.* The concept is simple, the heavier the card stock (particularly if you have several cards or layers in your invitation ensemble), the heavier your invitation ensemble will be, and the more you’ll pay for postage.

Simply put – if you want to keep the cost of postage down, keep the weight of your card stock down.

Note*: Additional postage based on weight alone. Please keep in mind that mail outside of certain shape and size parameters may also require additional postage.

4. Preference: What Look do You Like?
Your DIY Invites, Your Choice.

When it comes to choosing a weight of paper to make your wedding invitations with, there is no “standard” or “tradition” in which to go by; there is no rule set in stone; there are only suggestions, perhaps a few printing and budget limitations, and your personal taste.

Suggestions and limitations aside, some people like the look and feel of thick, heavy card stock, some prefer thinner, lighter weight stock. Just because your printer can print very heavy weight stock, doesn’t mean you must go with a very heavy stock – heavier isn’t necessarily better. Just because it is suggested that folding invitations are made with lighter weight stock, does not mean they have to be. If you want a very heavy weight folder, by all means, make one!

The trick is to find the paper that fits within your limitations, your design, and most importantly, your taste – and this is the best weight paper for your wedding invitations.

What Type of Envelope Is Best for Me?

When buying envelopes, the 4 most important areas to consider are Printability, Weight, Cost, and Postage. Which types of envelopes are easy to print? What weight should I be looking for? Which will provide me with the best value? I don’t want to be surprised at the Post Office. Which types require only standard postage and which require extra?

1. Envelope Printability

If you’re planning to print your envelopes at home to save money and time, we have good news for you! The majority of envelopes offered at LCI can be printed in home printers. If you have access to both an inkjet printer and a laser printer, your envelope options are wide open. If you only have access to one type of printer, you may need to narrow your choices.

The envelope’s finish dictates which printer type–Laser or Inkjet–will yield the best result.

Inkjet and laser printers are equally adept at printing envelopes made with porous, matte finish paper, opening up most of our envelope types to your choice of home printer.

But these particular non-matte finish envelope types are best printed with one printer type as opposed to another:

• Metallic Envelopes – Impermeable finish best suited to the dry toner of laser printing
• Translucent Envelopes – Best results achieved with inkjet printing

Dark envelope colors are not conducive to home printing.

Often, home printing on dark colored envelopes results in text that is not clearly visible. If printing your envelopes at home, stay away from black envelopes and other dark colors. Otherwise, plan to hand address.

We recommend using a Gelly Roll Pen if hand-addressing envelopes. Choose a light color that will provide enough contrast to the dark envelope color.

2. Weight & Feel

You don’t want your envelopes to look and feel cheap or common. Obviously you want them to feel substantial—a cut above ordinary.

For every envelope offered at LCI, a paper weight specification is displayed showing you exactly what weight of paper is used to make the envelope. Our Double Envelopes, Lined Envelopes, and Linen Envelopes are all made with 70 lb text (105.35 gsm), and as you’ll see, even heavier weights are available.

This is not to say that paper weight is the only factor that determines envelope quality, but it is a tangible specification you can use to compare different envelopes.

Premium Heavyweight Envelopes

If you’re looking for envelopes made with even heavier paper, look no further than Metallic Envelopes and our exclusive Old World brand with the unique European Flap style.

Added Benefits of Lined Envelopes

The actual lining of our Lined Envelopes adds a bit of weight and thickness. And if you’re concerned about not being able to see through the envelope to the contents inside, the lining offers some additional protection. Keep in mind that our envelopes are partially lined, not fully lined to the bottom of the envelope.

Ultimately, your hands-on experience–the way the envelope looks and feels in your hand–may be the most influential factor in your decision.

3. Envelope Cost

Obviously, cost is major factor when shopping for envelopes. But quality envelopes don’t have to be expensive.

You may be surprised to learn, for example, just how affordable are LCI’s Double Wedding Envelopes, especially when you factor that each 50 pack includes 50 outer envelopes and 50 inner envelopes.

All of our envelopes are priced with value in mind and the difference in price is usually only a few dollars per pack, a small price to pay for wedding quality envelopes that truly meet your expectations.

4. Postage

Don’t overlook postage when calculating your envelope costs, as certain types may require additional postage based on envelope shape and the weight of your entire invitation ensemble.

Square Envelopes require additional postage.

Other envelope types are considered standard letters and require only standard postage. However, additional postage will be required if the envelope and its contents weigh more than 3.5 ounces. Remember that Double Envelopes are two separate envelopes, adding weight to your invitation. Lined Envelopes also add weight.

Policy Flap Envelopes, if addressed with the envelope vertically aligned rather than horizontally aligned, will require extra postage. For further explanation, see article, Do policy envelopes require additional postage?

The best way to make absolutely sure of additional postage is to take your finished invitation ensemble to your local Post Office and ask.

Compare Type Comparison

Use the following chart to quickly determine envelope printability, postage, weight, and cost.

Cost:
$ – Least
$$ – Moderate
$$$ – Most

* Envelope Type	Inkjet	Laser	Standard Postage	Extra Postage	Light Weight Options	Medium Weight Options	Heavy Weight Options	Cost
Double Envelopes								$$-$$$
Lined Envelopes								$$
Square Envelopes								$ – $$
Metallic Envelopes								$$
Linen Envelopes								$-$$
Translucent Envelopes								$-$$
European Flap Envelopes								$$
** Policy Flap Envelopes								$$

* All envelopes, regardless of style, if square require extra postage
** Require extra postage if addressed with envelope vertically aligned

Spend a Few Minutes to Learn

Printability, weight, cost, and postage are all factors you should consider when researching and ultimately purchasing the envelopes you will use as part of your important invitation. By spending just a few minutes learning about the differences and similarities, you’ll be in a much better position to make a wise decision. Let us know if you have any questions about which envelope type is right for you.

- by Chris L.

11/8/2011 8:35 – LCI Paper

Hi Chris,

You make a great point, and one that we’ll examine and address. In the meantime, you can order single samples of any text weight sheets you’re interested in. Just look for the Order Samples link or tab on any given product page.

Have you seen our imported Japanese Chiyogami paper? We are told it’s excellent paper for origami.

Thank you again for your suggestion. It is valuable to us.

- by LCI Paper

How Paper Was Made?
This Inquiring Mind Wanted to Know.

Do you know how paper is made? If you are like most, you are probably aware that machinery, water, and of course trees are involved, but that may be the extent of your paper making knowledge. Recognizing that this was the limited extent of mine, I went out in pursuit of more information.

To learn more about the paper making process, I recently took a trip to Monadnock Paper Mills, located on the banks of the Contoocook River in Bennington, New Hampshire. Monadnock is a small, family run mill which places exceptional emphasis on environmental stewardship, community involvement, and on the production of premium high performance papers – and it shows. From its well groomed, picturesque grounds; to its impressive eco-friendly manufacturing process; to the consistently beautiful, high quality specialty paper stock it produces, Monadnock sets a prime example, and was an excellent environment in which to learn how paper is made.

It turns out there is much more to paper than water and trees, and the paper making process is quite interesting, in fact. If you’re interested in learning just how paper is made, read on.

What Is Paper Made Of?
The Basic Components.

To understand how paper is made, you must first understand what it’s made of. Though the paper-making process is fairly complex, the basic components that go into paper are fairly simple.

• Hardwood: Hardwood provides paper formation, contributing to the printability, appearance, and feel of the sheet.
• Softwood: Softwood provides paper strength. As an example, paper bags, which need mostly to be strong, not to nicely print, are made mostly of softwood. As a comparison, printing paper is generally made with a two to one ratio of hardwood to softwood for proper formation and a bit of strength.
• Fillers: Mineral fillers contribute to paper opacity, brightness, printability, and overall appearance.
• Lots of Water: Water is a key ingredient in the paper making process, which is why most paper mills are located on a source of water.

First Stop, the Hydrapulper.

The paper-making process begins in the hydrapulper, which is a large blender, or mixing bowl if you will. This large, stainless steel bowl measures approximately ten feet wide and fifteen feet deep and has large blades at the bottom. To begin the process of preparing fiber for paper making, the correct ratio of fibers, fillers, additives, dyes, brighteners and water are blended together for about forty-five minutes. The end result is a thick, wet mixture that resembles a giant bowl of oatmeal.

That Pulp Needs More Water!
Into the Machine Chest.

Before the fiber blend gets to the paper machine, it will be 99% water, 1% fiber, and will look like cloudy, white water. Leaving the hydrapulper, the oatmeal-like blend is nowhere near this viscosity, so the fiber will have to hit a few more stops before it gets to the paper machine. The next step is to dump the fiber into the machine chest – a large holding tank where the blend will get further diluted with water.

Up into the Refiners.

Next, the fiber is pumped from the machine chest up into the refiners. In a nutshell, refiners are a series of plates that turn against each other, forcing individual hardwood and softwood fibers between them. Refiners work to split and cut fibers to length, creating more contact points along the individual fibers so that they can easily stick together and form a cohesive mat of paper when they get to the paper machine.

The refining process plays an important role in paper making, because it prepares fibers specifically for the kind of paper being made and its properties.

Last Stop Until the Paper Machine,
The Centrifugal Cleaning Process.

Before hitting the paper machine, the fiber blend undergoes a centrifugal cleaning process – a very simple process to eliminate dirt, sand, and other foreign debris from the blend.

This simple process works by passing the fiber blend through a series of rotating cones. Wood fiber is very light, much lighter than dirt, sand, etc. Through centrifugal force, light wood fiber rotates up and out of the cone, and heavy dirt drops out of the bottom, leaving a clean fiber blend that is now fully prepared to be made into paper.

Into The Fourdrinier Machine – Making Fiber into Paper Since 1799.
Beginning at the Head Box.

The watery fiber blend is turned into paper using a Fourdrinier Machine, a machine that was invented in France in 1799. This machine consists of an endless, revolving and oscillating porous screen (imagine a very large treadmill) called a wire; a series of suction, roller, and steam heat dryers; and a variety of calender(roller) presses for formation & finish. The machine’s two main purposes are to:

• Form a large, continuous sheet (a web) of paper
• Dry this sheet

Before being made into paper, the watery blend sits at the front of the machine in a large, stainless steel cylindrical tank called a head box. At the very bottom of the head box there is an adjustable opening that allows a varying amount of fiber blend to flow out onto the wire. A limited fiber flow creates a thinner sheet of paper, a larger flow creates a thicker sheet, or card stock/cover stock.

The Water That Went In, Must Come Out.
Flow onto the Wire.

As mentioned above, the wire is a large, porous, revolving and oscillating screen. Fiber and water – remember, 99% water at this stage- flow out onto the moving wire. As the fiber gets carried along, excess water falls through the screen as a cohesive fiber mat forms above. The oscillation of the wire ensures that some of the fibers will cross over one another, rather than lining up in one direction. Without fiber cross over, a very weak sheet would result.

About three quarters of the way down the wire, vacuum assist pressure is used to pull water from the fiber, rather than just gravity.

Through the Dandy Roll to Squeeze Water Out

After gravity and vacuum assist, water is then squeezed from the paper using a roller called a dandy roll. The dandy roll not only aids in paper drying, but with compression and formation as well.

Note: Water marks are also created with the dandy roll; a logo or text water mark template placed on the roll displaces fiber in the shape of a logo or text without harming the strength of the paper.

No More Wire Support.
Paper Moves onto First Press Section.

After passing under the dandy roll, the paper, which is now 40-50% water, leaves the support of the wire and heads to the felt press section. Here, the sheet passes between two pressurized felt rollers, helping to form and compress the sheet, as well as squeeze more water from it.

Note: Since the paper is a malleable 40-50% water while passing through this first felt press section, it is here where any patterns would be applied to the paper. This would be done by covering the press with the desired pattern.

The Longest Part – The Steam Dryer Section.

Fiber goes into the machine at 99% water, and leaves at 5%. Although gravity, vacuum, and the felt press work to dry the sheet out, they can not do the full job; hence the longest section of the paper making machine, the steam dryer section. Here, the sheet is guided through a series of large, steam heated cans.

Why is steam used to dry paper? Steam is an ideal method because it’s the best of both worlds – it drives excess moisture out of the sheet, while at the same time, allowing the sheet to retain a small amount so that it doesn’t get brittle.

Roll into the Sizing Press.
(That’s Sizing as in White Starchy Coating, Not Length & Width)

After drying, the sheet rolls into the sizing press. Sizing is a starch based liquid surface coating that is sprayed onto printing papers. This coating prevents individual fibers from piquing off papers during the printing process. Sizing also works to improve overall smoothness and consistency, making it a better surface in which to work with. Note that paper also includes internal sizing.

Back into the Dryers.

Since more moisture was introduced to the paper during the sizing process, the paper now goes through a second set of dryers.

Almost Done!
Ready to Apply a Finish.

Before leaving the paper machine, the sheet goes through a final set of roller presses which are responsible for its finish. This section consists of two highly polished stainless steel rollers that sit one on top of the other. The rollers are backed by varying amounts of hydraulic pressure, different amounts of pressure creating different finishes.

To gain an understanding of how finish is applied to paper, imagine the similar process of rolling out dough with a rolling pin. The harder you press on the rolling pin (the more hydraulic pressure that is applied to the rollers), the thinner and smoother your dough (your paper) will be. Conversely, if you just lightly roll over your dough (apply less hydraulic pressure to the rollers) you will end up with dough (paper) that is thicker, rougher, and more porous than the batch that was pressed with more force. In the end, it’s the same dough (paper), made with the same ingredients (fiber blend); but the different amounts of pressure created two very different pie crusts (papers).

Getting back to a paper sense; sheets that pass through two lightly pressurized rollers will be thicker, more porous, and more toothy than their highly pressure treated counterparts. In a nutshell, if you have two identical sheets:

• Sheets treated with less pressure end up thicker, and with a toothy, absorbent, eggshell-like vellum finish.
• Sheets treated with a lot of pressure end up thinner, and with a silky smooth finish.

Learn More About Paper Textures & Finishes

All Done!
Roll it Up Onto the Core.

After the paper is finished, it gets wound up onto a core – a giant roll of paper towel, if you will. Paper keeps wrapping around the core until it is about four feet wide, at which point it comes off of the machine.

From headbox to four foot wide core, the whole paper making process takes forty to fifty minutes, on average.

What makes an envelope special?

Most of us receive paper correspondence, Monday through Saturday, in our mailbox. Depending on who is the sender and how the mail is packaged, it may be tossed in the recycling bin or opened with anticipation. Whether the contents are dismissed as junk or treasured as a keepsake can often be determined just by handling the envelope, even before it’s ever opened.

A beautiful envelope cuts through the clutter and distinguishes itself from other envelopes that are just, well, “mail.”

But have you ever wondered what exactly differentiates a particular type of envelope from the others?

What defines an envelope?

Cut from paper, an envelope is made to enclose a letter or document, offering both protection and mailability. Its most recognizable feature is its sealable top flap.

Aside from mailing, how else are they used?

Envelopes are not just for mailing. Gift cards are often enclosed in envelopes with the dollar amount that you paid written or pre-printed on the envelope. As a professional touch and for your convenience, your cash withdrawal at your bank may be presented to you inside an envelope. Commercial products ranging from screen protectors for handheld electronic devices to planting seeds use different forms of envelopes as packaging.

From Handmade to Machine Made, an Envelope History

Envelopes have come a long way since 2000 B.C. when the Babylonians used hollow clay spheres or wrappers to protect important items including documents.

In 1840, Great Britain’s Royal Mail introduced the first standard mailing envelope: paper cut into a diamond shape, folded to form an envelope, and held together by a seal at the edge of the top flap. The envelope featured an illustrated design by William Mulready and become known as the Mulready Envelope—the grandfather of the modern envelope.

Although the use of envelope templates (“dies”) was introduced a number of years earlier, it wasn’t until 1845, when a steam powered, automatic envelope folding machine was patented, that envelope production went from a handmade process to a mechanical one. Early folding machines could cut out the envelope shapes from paper, crease, and fold, but it would be 50 more years until a machine could successfully integrate adhesive into the process to produce pre-gummed envelopes.

Today’s modern envelope machines, particularly web machines, can produce up to 1,500 envelopes per minute!

2 Main Envelope Types

Envelopes For Wedding Invitations

Wedding Double Envelopes

Double Envelopes are a longstanding tradition used with wedding invitations. They consist of (1) an un-gummed inner envelope (lined or unlined) to hold a wedding invitation, response card, response envelope & any additional cards, and (2) an outer mailing envelope.

Lined Wedding Envelopes

Adds a decorative lining starting from the folding flap—just below the gummed seal, or if no gummed seal, just below where the gummed seal would have been—down and past the top fold into the envelope’s middle section or “throat.”

Wedding Response & RSVP Envelopes

Small envelope included in a wedding invitation set to accommodate an RSVP (“please respond”) card. In the United States, the typical size is 3 5/8 x 5 1/8.

Square Wedding Envelopes

Height and width share the same measurement. This envelope style requires extra postage in the United States.

Additional Envelope Types

Window Envelopes

Primarily for business communication, a rectangular hole (or “window”) is cut out on the front side so that the printed address of the enclosed letter aligns with the window. This design means envelopes do not have to be addressed provided the printed letter is addressed and positioned within the window. Envelopes may have more than one window and windows may be cut on the front and/or back side. Windows are often covered with a transparent or translucent film for added protection.

Security Envelopes

Another style primarily for business communication, a printed pattern on the inside restricts seeing contents through the envelope.

Now that you have a better general understanding of envelopes their varieties, you may be interested in what differentiates a better quality envelope from that of lesser quality. We’ll show you what to look for as we walk through the process of how envelopes are made.

- by Raymond G.

How To Print An Address On Envelopes

Printing envelopes at home can be a real time saver over hand addressing, but more setup is involved than printing standard 8 ½ x 11 copy paper.

In this video, using easy to follow steps, we’ll show you how to print a name and address on the front of an envelope using a computer with Microsoft Word and an inkjet or laser printer. But don’t overlook the article, as we’ll also point out some important considerations to think about before and during the process.

Step 1: Load Envelope in Printer

• With the envelope aligned on its side (short edge first), the flap closed and pointing right, load a single envelope into your printer’s paper input tray. The envelope’s right edge should rest flush against the right edge of the paper tray.

• Move the sliding paper guide from left to right, resting flush against the envelope’s left edge.

Check your printer manual to learn how envelopes are to be loaded in your printer. If your printer has more than one paper input try, the manufacturer may designate that envelopes be loaded into one particular tray over another.

Check to see how envelopes should be positioned in the tray. Often, envelopes are loaded short edge first (tall rather than wide), but your manual will have the specifics.

If you can’t find your printer manual, your manufacturer may have a downloadable manual online.

For printers with 2 paper guides that move dependently in the paper input tray, the envelope should be placed in the middle of the tray and the guides adjusted inward so they rest flush against both envelope edges.

Step 2: In Word, Set Up Your Document

Create a new document sized to the exact dimensions of your envelope. For example, if your envelope is 5 ¼ inches high by 7 ¼ inches wide, your document should be the same measurements but in decimals–5.25 inches high by 7.25 inches wide.

• Type name(s) & address
• Customize text using your choice of font & font size
• Center text horizontally using paragraph center alignment button
• Center text vertically by placing cursor in front of text and repeatedly hitting Enter key until text is centered. If text is too low, use Backspace key.

Step 3: Access Printer Driver – Enter Width, Height & Alignment

When you power on your printer, it is programmed to print 8 1/2 x 11 size paper. Even though you loaded your envelope correctly in Step 1, you still need to communicate the envelope’s size in the printer’s software or “driver.” Otherwise your address will not print correctly on the envelope.

Since you loaded your envelope on its side (short edge first), the short side is referred to as the width measurement and the long side is the height measurement in the print driver.

You will also need to select Landscape printing as opposed to Portrait.

All this is communicated in the print driver. Here’s how to access it from within Word and make adjustments:

In Windows, the print driver interface is dependent on your printer manufacturer’s software, so specific instructions may vary.

If you cannot enter custom dimensions that reflect your envelope size, you may try installing an updated printer driver from your manufacturer’s web site.

Since envelopes are folded paper, they are thicker than a sheet of standard paper. Check to see if your print driver has an envelopes setting that will allow the envelopes to more easily travel through the printer. If your printer is older, there may be a physical lever to switch to the envelopes setting.

Adjusting the print quality to the highest setting may give you better printing results.

Turn off all scaling and resizing options. You will not need to stretch or squeeze your printed text.

Step 4: Print One Envelope To Test

• Click OK to save your print driver settings and close the driver
• Click OK to complete the print job
  Your envelope will start printing.

What To Look For

In Step 1, the reason we instructed you to load just one envelope into your printer is because we wanted to make sure you’d print a test. Why do we so strongly suggest that you test print? Because you want to be sure the printed envelope meets your expectations.

After running through your printer, is the envelope still in excellent condition?

How is the quality of the printing itself? Depending on the type of paper used to make your envelopes–matte finish, metallic finish, vellum finish, textured finish–your particular printer may or may not be the best choice.

Only by test printing on the actual envelope in your particular printer can you confirm the result.

A printer with a paper path that makes a tight turn is more likely to bend envelopes (especially longer envelopes) than one with a straighter path.

Step 5: Print Your Envelopes

There are 2 ways to print envelopes that are going to different addresses:

1. Change the name(s) and address in your software and print 1 envelope, Repeat
2. Use Word’s Mail Merge feature to print your envelopes all at once. For help with this advanced envelope printing technique, watch our video, Print Envelope Addresses with Microsoft Word Mail Merge.

We recommend loading 10 envelopes into your printer’s input tray at a time, but check your printer manual for the definitive recommendation.

Do you have any other tips for printing envelopes? Let us know! And if you need envelope printing advice, get in touch with us. We’d be glad to help.

Are you ready to try envelope printing at home? Shop our extensive collection of specialty envelopes.

Envelopes		Suggested Cards
4 Bar	3 5/8 x 5 1/8	A4	3 1/2 x 4 7/8
4 Bar European Flap	3 5/8 x 5 1/8	A4	3 1/2 x 4 7/8
A2	4 3/8 x 5 3/4	A2	4 1/4 x 5 1/2
A6	4 3/4 x 6 1/2		4 1/2 x 6 1/4
A7	5 1/4 x 7 1/4	A7	5 1/8 x 7
A7 European Flap	5 1/4 x 7 1/4	A7	5 1/8 x 7
5 1/4 x 7 1/4 Baronial	5 1/4 x 7 1/4	A7	5 1/8 x 7
5 7/16 x 7 7/8 Baronial	5 7/16 x 7 7/8	Jumbo	5 1/8 x 7 1/4
A8	5 1/2 x 8 1/8	A8	5 3/8 x 7 3/4
6 x 8 1/4 Baronial	6 x 8 1/4	A8	5 3/8 x 7 3/4
A9	5 3/4 x 8 3/4	A9	5 1/2 x 8 1/2
A9 European Flap	5 3/4 x 8 3/4	A9	5 1/2 x 8 1/2
A10	6 x 9 1/2		5 7/8 x 9 1/4
5 1/2 Square	5 1/2 x 5 1/2	5 1/4 Square	5 1/4 x 5 1/4
6 Square Baronial	6 x 6		5 3/4 x 5 3/4
6 1/2 Square	6 1/2 x 6 1/2	6 1/4 Square	6 1/4 x 6 1/4
6 3/4 Square Baronial	6 3/4 x 6 3/4		6 1/2 x 6 1/2
7 1/2 Square	7 1/2 x 7 1/2		7 1/4 x 7 1/4
7 1/2 Square Baronial	7 1/2 x 7 1/2		7 1/4 x 7 1/4
Policy	4 1/4 x 9 1/2	Slim	4 x 9 1/4
#10 Square Flap	4 1/4 x 9 1/2	Slim	4 x 9 1/4
#10 European Flap	4 1/4 x 9 1/2	Slim	4 x 9 1/4
Slim Double	Inner: 3 7/8 x 9 Outer: 4 1/8 x 9 1/2	Slim	3 1/2 x 8 3/4
Embassy Double	Inner: 5 1/8 x 6 7/8 Outer: 5 1/4 x 7 1/4		5 x 6 5/8
Jumbo Double	Inner: 5 5/16 x 7 5/8 Outer: 5 7/16 x 7 7/8	A7	5 1/8 x 7
Tiffany Double	Inner: 5 3/4 x 8 Outer: 6 x 8 1/4	A8	5 3/8 x 7 3/4
Marquis Double	Inner: 5 3/4 x 5 3/4 Outer: 6 x 6		5 1/2 x 5 1/2
Imperial Double	Inner: 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 Outer: 6 3/4 x 6 3/4	6 1/4 Square	6 1/4 x 6 1/4
Royal Double	Inner: 7 1/4 x 7 1/4 Outer: 7 1/2 x 7 1/2	7 Square	7 x 7

Match Your Card To Standard Size Envelopes At LCI Paper

With 22 envelope sizes in stock, its not always easy to find the correct card size for your envelopes. Use our Quick Size Chart to determine the best card match.

Left side of chart shows our envelope sizes. Right side shows card suggestions.

More Tips:

• Card must be smaller than envelope
• For best fit, we recommend a card roughly 1/4 inch smaller than the envelope.
• If card is too small, it will be “swimming” in the envelope.
• If we don’t carry a particular card size, we can custom cut cards to meet your requirement.

Shop All Envelope Sizes at the LCI Paper online store

Kayla in Texas writes:

I have a laser printer. Are any papers for laser? I see lots of reference to inkjet but no laser papers.

This is a great question so we’re answering it on video.

We List Our Best Recommendations For Each Paper

As Kayla noticed looking through our papers, for each item that we offer, we make a printing recommendation. Our recommendations are based on printing specifications provided by the mills that make the paper and our own in-house printing tests.

Lots Of Paper For Laser Printing

A large percentage of our paper is designated as laser compatible. Some of the more popular brands include:

• Stardream
• Aspire Petallics
• LCI
• Cambric Linen

Different Printing Recommendations: Lighter Paper vs. Heavy Card Stock

Within a brand of paper, if you were to browse the different paper weights, you might see different printing recommendations. For example, a lighter text weight sheet within a certain brand might carry both inkjet and laser recommendations, but its heavier cover stock counterpart might only carry an inkjet recommendation. And the reason for that might be that we tested the sheet in a laser printer and experienced less-than-desirable results like roller marks on the sheet.

Review Your Laser Printer Specifications On Paper Thickness

We strongly recommend checking your printer’s specifications on paper thickness/weight. You should only buy paper that falls within the range of allowable weights for your printer.

Test a Sample Sheet in Your Printer

We want to be very clear about this; even with the best information we have from the mills, and even after our own printing tests, we cannot guarantee that our recommendation is absolutely accurate for your printer. You must test a sample in your printer to see if the outcome meets your expectations.

Now that you understand our printer recommendations, are you ready to shop Specialty Paper At LCI?

- by Melanie M.

- by Linda M.

- by Kristen D.

Screenshot of the beginning of the article:

Our Impressions:

We offer wedding quality cardstock paper for do-it-yourself home card printing, so while we agree that the feel of the paper and the quality of the paper should reflect the theme and tone of the event, we disagree with certain points made in article.

Tinyprints implies:

Our responses to each of the 3 points:

1. Inkjet printing at home is appropriate for special events.

You can achieve great printing results on quality, thick, heavy cardstock using an inkjet printer.

And yes, you can save some money too!

Inkjet printing is often an absolutely viable alternative to professionally designed, store-bought, and third-party printed cards.

Many inkjet printers approach laser quality text printing, can print on thick card stock, and are versatile enough to print photo lab quality photos and graphics. A good inkjet printer in the home will allow you to tackle all kinds of printing projects.

Example: Inkjet Printed Baby Shower Invitations

• 5 1/8 x 7 Gmund Vice Versa 111 lb Textured Card in Albus White
• 5 1/4 x 7 1/4 Pop-Tone Envelope in Banana Split Yellow
• Store bought animal sticker

The invitation wording was printed with a Canon Pixma iX7000 inkjet printer.

Our total price including all the items and shipping was $1.05 per invitation.

2. DIYers can produce elegant, stylish printed cards using premium paper.

You do not need to sacrifice paper quality just because you’re printing your own announcements. Now, more than ever, heavy, luxurious paper is just a few clicks away.

We source our card stock from mills around the world that produce highly regarded and sought after brands including Beckett, Pop-Tone, Vice Versa, Stardream, Aspire Petallics, and our own LCI brand of premium, smooth finish matte paper in weights up to 120 lb cover. Most of the aforementioned brands are available in weights and finishes that can be printed at home on either laser, inkjet, or both types of printers.

Our papers are in stock and ready for same day shipping so you can have them fast.

But not only do we make the card stock available to you, we show you how to use it and produce your own elegant invitations. We offer step by step printing tutorials and videos, downloadable printing templates, and everything else you need to print invitations at home.

Looking for buying advice on inkjet printers? Read through our detailed printer reviews, see sample printing, and learn what important features to look for.

3. There’s more to quality paper than thickness & weight.

Finally, can weight and thickness prove that a certain paper is really better quality? We think there’s a lot more to it. But for the definitive answer, we went to Mike Barry of Monadnock Paper in Bennington, NH–the oldest continuously operating paper mill in the United States. Mike states,

The weight of the paper does not indicate the quality of the paper.

You can have a beautifully made grade of paper with a basis weight of 80 lb cover and a poorly made and designed grade of paper that weighs 110 lb.

The most important difference is the quality of the paper making itself: How well formed is the sheet? What quality of fiber was used and what was the blend (hardwood to softwood ratio)? Too much filler will weaken the sheet and make it feel limp. And of course, the card stock must be able to fold properly, without cracking.

The better formation of the paper, the higher quality of the card stock.

Differences in quality of fiber, blend of fiber, and of course, the quality of the paper making can all make a large difference.

Read the Full Article & Give Us Your Take

After reading the complete Tinyprints article, sound off and tell us what you think!

Are you considering making your own invitations or announcements?

Let us help you decide if Do It Yourself cards are right for you. Read our Pros and Cons of DIY (Do it Yourself) Wedding Invitations article.

Learn more about card stock, we discuss everything in one place: card stock types, sizes, weights and more!

What is Card Stock, Really?

Some refer to it as card stock, some refer to it as cover stock, some just call it thick paper. All of these terms are essentially synonymous; but what do they mean, and what is card stock, really?

Though card stock is ultimately recognized and defined by its weight and/or thickness, a generic definition of “a thick paper” just doesn’t do it justice. If you’re interested in learning more about this multifaceted collection of paper – and there’s so much more – read on. We have the card stock 411.

The Terms: Are Cover Stock & Card Stock the Same?

The terms cover stock and card stock are analogous and are frequently interchanged by both novices and industry professionals alike. They both refer to heavy weight paper, and for all intensive purposes, are the same thing – card stock, is cover stock, is thick or heavy paper – plain and simple.

However it should be noted that in technical terms, there are slight differences between cover stock and card stock:

• Cover stock: is a specific term reserved for heavy weight paper of a decorative nature; found in an assortment of colors, finishes, textures, and coatings. Sticking with technicalities, cover stock is generally classified by paper basis weight, rather than caliper, or thickness.
• Card stock: is a more general term, defined by heavy weight paper of a simple, generic variety. Card stock is generally classified by caliper.

Note: LCI Paper refers to all heavy weight sheets as card stock, classified by basis weight.

How is Card Stock Made?

To understand how card stock is formed, you must understand the materials and the process. Both are key to the quality of the final product that results.

Hardwood, Softwood & Fillers

Generally speaking, card stock is made up of a blend of hardwood and softwood fibers and fillers. Hardwood provides proper paper formation, softwood provides strength, fillers add to the opacity, brightness, and overall appearance of the card stock. The secret is in the sauce, so they say, and the final card stock that results is dependent on the quality and ratio of the fibers in the blend.

The Process

Before being formed into card stock, the fiber/filler blend is about 99% water – so how is this fibery soup formed into card stock? Here’s the abbreviated version!

• The fiber blend is dispersed from an opening at the bottom of the headbox – a storage container at the start of the paper-making machine
• Blend flows onto a wire – a wide, flat, porous moving screen
• Water drains from the bottom of the wire, while fibers form into a cohesive sheet above
• Sheet is guided through a series of roller presses and heat dryers until it is a flat, uniform, dry sheet of card stock

Here’s the full version: How is Paper Made?

Why are Some Stocks Thicker than Others?

Although most machine-made papers are manufactured in the same general fashion, there are several variances in the weights and thicknesses of these papers. Variances in weight are simply due to the amount of fiber that is dispersed onto the wire at the start of the paper making process. The opening at the bottom of the headbox is adjustable, allowing for different amounts of fiber to be dispersed. In a nutshell, the more fiber that is present at onset, the thicker the paper in the end.

In some cases, thick card stock is made by adhering two thinner sheets together, rather than placing twice the amount of fiber on the wire at onset.

Are all Card Stocks Created Equally?

Since most card stock is created in the same general fashion, is card stock generally all the same? Absolutely Not! Each mill uses different fibers, in different ratios, and in a slightly different fashion. What is the result of these many differences? Many different card stocks of many varying qualities that are in no way, created equally.

What Determines a Quality Card Stock?

If card stock is not created equally, what determines a quality card stock? Many people are under the misconception that the quality of a card stock is determined by its thickness, stiffness or weight. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Depending on personal taste and what the paper will be used for, some prefer thick, heavy stock, some prefer a lighter, softer stock. Therefore, the quality of a card stock is determined by the fiber quality and manufacturing process, not by thickness.

If you are shopping card stock from LCI Paper, you can be assured any stock you choose is of utmost quality; coming only from renowned mills that produce paper with only the highest standards of beauty, quality, longevity, and environmentally conscious paper manufacturing in mind.

Is one printer type generally better than another?

With so many printers on the market, the choices can seem overwhelming. But if you knew that you wanted a certain type, be it laser, inkjet, or an all-in-one inkjet, you could eliminate the other categories and be left with a less complicated decision. We have extensive experience printing metallic papers and card stock and we’re ready to share our findings and test results. Our goal is to help you make a wise decision based on your printing habits.

Laser Printers

Toner-based laser printers apply sharp, crisp, dark, well-saturated text on metallic paper. However, the toner may be prone to very subtle flaking and breaking from the non-porous paper surface. After the metallic sheet has printed, there’s virtually no drying time to consider. You can handle the paper right away.

Inkjet Printers

While inkjet printers excel in their versatility, especially if photo printing is something that interests you, in general, printed text is not as sharp as that of laser printers. Challenge inkjet printers with the task of printing on metallic paper and results are hit and miss, depending on the particular printer and the composition of the sheet’s metallic finish. More printing limitations arise from wet ink sprayed onto the metallic paper surface. Because the ink cannot bond to the metallic finish as quickly as toner, the printed result is not as precise or as dark as laser printing. And inkjet printed metallic paper always needs extra drying time–sometimes up to 24 or 48 hours–where the paper cannot be handled.

All-in-One Printers

Essentially inkjet printers with extra functionality, all-in-ones are limited to the same issues as detailed in the Inkjet Printers section: bleeding and less-precise text, lighter, less-saturated black ink, and a mandatory period of drying time. The added scanning and faxing features don’t excuse the fact that wet ink is being sprayed onto a metallic finish paper surface.

Although inkjet printers are at a disadvantage, don’t rule them out!

Extra drying time is unavoidable, but we have heard from customers who’ve achieved great results from their inkjet printers. Jennifer of Red Monkey Press in Minneapolis, MN shares her experiences printing on Stardream metallic paper:

I inkjet print on Stardream paper a lot. I have found that certain Stardream colors take the ink better than others. For example, Opal prints like a dream, but Crystal takes a bit longer to dry. You can usually tell the problem colors by the way the cardstock feels; rougher-textured paper doesn’t absorb the ink as quickly as one that feels smoother.

Read more about inkjet printing on Stardream Metallic Paper

Paper thickness can be a factor.

Whether you go with laser or inkjet, research the printer’s paper specifications to find the heaviest paper weight the printer can accept. You wouldn’t want to invest in a printer and then find out it can’t handle the metallic card stock that you want to print.

For example, 2 of the 5 printers that we tested for this article could not handle the weight of our metallic card stock so we had to use lighter text weight sheets for testing.

Need help with cover vs. text weight and paper weights in general? Watch our video, Learn About Card Stock Paper Weight & Paper Density.

Metallic Print Test Results from 5 Different Printers

Our Testing Methods:

We printed wedding program wording onto 8 1/2 x 11, 81 lb, metallic text weight paper–Aspire Petallics Spearmint to be exact. Our program wording was printed with Microsoft Word software and used the Edwardian Script ITC font which is more challenging for our printers than a non-script font.

After printing, we scanned the metallic sheets at 600 dpi using the Canon CanoScan 9000F scanner. Images were cropped close to show detail, but not no further editing was performed.

Ready to see the printing results and read our analysis?

Open our LCI Paper In-House Test Printing Results PDF file to see comparative printing results from each printer.

Printing Results Summary:

HP LaserJet P4015tn laser printer

• Robust, black & white laser printer, networked for an office setting
• $800 – $1,200
• HP does not recommend printing cover heavier than 74 lb

Conclusion: Text is sharp, crisp, and true black, making for almost perfect printing on text weight metallic paper. Unfortunately, since the printer can only print up to 74 cover, it cannot handle the heavyweight metallic card stock brands like Stardream and Aspire Petallics.

Canon iX7000 inkjet printer

• 13 x 20 wide format business inkjet printer with networking
• $190 – $380

Conclusion: Although not as sharp as laser printing, delivers great printing performance from an inkjet printer, especially on text weight sheets. With three paper trays, you’ll be consulting the manual on which papers, based on weight & size, load into which trays. We noticed slightly less black ink saturation the heavier the paper we printed.

Full Review: Canon Pixma iX7000 Large Format Ink Jet Printer

HP Envy 100 inkjet printer

• Stylish, wireless, web-connected printer/copier/scanner
• $190 – $250
• Cannot print cover over 75 lb

Conclusion: Strong printing performance on text paper, comparable to the Canon iX7000. Not quite as sharp as laser printing. Cannot print cover over 75 lb which eliminates the ability to print heavy card stock like Stardream & Aspire Petallics cover.

Full Review: HP Envy 100 e-All-in-One Inkjet Printer

Epson Stylus Photo R1900 inkjet printer

• Wide format 13 x 44 inkjet printer
• $300 – $540

Conclusion: The ink is certainly not as black as the others and the bleeding is also a bit worse. But it can print heavy card stock and was able to print the metallic 105 cover we tested.

Full Review: Epson Stylus Photo R1900 Ink Jet Printer

Note: R2000 replaces this model. Worth considering

Epson Artisan 50 inkjet printer

• Compact, basic inkjet printer
• $120 – $150

Conclusion: Although the black text is more saturated than the Epson R1900, the bleeding is a bit worse. Overall, the printing quality falls short of the higher rated Canon Pixma iX7000 and HP Envy 100. A plus is that it can print heavy metallic card stock.

Full Review: Epson Artisan 50 Inkjet Printer

Editor’s Pick

We’ve barely scratched the surface in testing just 5 of the hundreds of current home printer models so we certainly hope you’ll get out there and research on your own, testing whenever possible. But, based on this test, with a focus on which is the best printer to print metallic paper, we can offer our opinion. At only $190, the Canon Pixma iX7000 inkjet printer is a great value. Not only does it print on metallic paper with exceptional quality considering it’s an inkjet, it has the ability to print metallic sheets up to 11 x 17. With three different paper input trays, there is a bit of a learning curve, but we think the savings is worth the extra effort.

Need more help? We’re here for you.

We hope we’ve made you more aware of some important areas to consider when choosing a printer for metallic paper. If you have any further questions, let us know. We are happy to help.

Do you want to print metallic envelopes in your printer?

Although most home printers are designed to print envelopes, not all consumer printers print with the same quality. To complicate matters more, the unique composition of the metallic envelope surface like those we offer at LCI makes them more challenging than printing matte finish envelopes. Here are some tips for printing metallic envelopes at home:

Should you laser print or ink jet print?

Through our own in house tests we find that laser printers generally produce the best, sharpest, and most well saturated text on metallic envelopes. Drying time is almost immediate when using the toner-based technology of a laser printer.

Conversely, ink jet printers spray wet ink onto the paper making extra drying time a necessity. In fact, up to 24 hours may be needed before the ink thoroughly dries to the surface of the paper. To prevent smudging it is important to refrain from handling the paper until it completely dries.

Answer questions first by ordering samples.

By ordering samples you will find answers to a few common questions. For example, will your printer print sharp text on the metallic envelope surface? After the envelope runs through your printer, is it unscathed? If inkjet printing, how long does the ink take to dry?

If you’re happy with the print quality and the state of the envelope after testing, then your printer is an excellent candidate for printing metallic envelopes.

Metallic envelopes are thicker than everyday envelopes.

Since the metallic finish paper used to make our metallic envelopes is thicker than common matte finish envelopes, it’s important to set the paper type in the print driver to Envelopes. The Envelope Setting will make it easier for your envelopes to travel through the printer. If your printer model is older, there may be a physical lever to switch to the Envelopes Setting.

We are here to answer your questions.

We hope these tips help to make printing metallic envelopes easier. Let us know if you have other questions or more helpful tips about printing metallic envelopes, at home in your printer; we would love to hear from you.

Our recent printer review of the Epson Artisan 50 Inkjet Printer generated lots of great customer feedback. One comment in particular, from Josh Eisen of Mountaincow, developers of the PrintingPress invitation software caught our attention.

Josh mentioned that the paper type setting in the print driver of Epson printers, perhaps more than some other brands, can affect print quality.

Challenge: Re-Test Our Specialty Papers Using Recommended Paper Settings

We thought this was a worthy challenge, therefore we re-tested all the papers from our original Epson Artisan 50 review using settings recommended for each different paper type. The bottom line is, some papers showed no noticeable improvement, while others, like we’ve shown below, produced noticeable improvements worth highlighting.

When test results didn’t improve to our satisfaction, we tried other paper type and quality combinations. On some papers, printing just never improved from the test results posted in our original review.

Here are the test results, although subtle, that showed the most tangible improvement:

Glama Natural Translucent Vellum
29 lb bond (109 gsm)

Although the mill badges this paper as inkjet printable, we found that on these sheets, Epson’s ink tended to bleed. So while the text looked great immediately after printing, a few minutes later the ink spread. We test printed on a number of sheets using different paper types and quality options in the print driver, but this pattern of delayed bleeding appeared in all of our tests. But even so, we saw an improvement in printing and less bleeding when we switched the paper type to the Premium Photo Paper Semi Gloss setting. For a closer look at the print results over the original test, click the print images below.

Gmund Vice Versa Textured Card Stock
111 lb cover (300 gsm)

With the new settings shown below, we noticed crisper text and more saturated black ink. It’s an improvement many people printing, thick, heavy & textured card stock should be interested in. For a closer look at the print results over the original test, click the print images below.

What does this mean to you?

If you’re willing to test the recommended or different paper settings, you may be able to achieve better results than you thought possible. It certainly worked for us in some cases! It is, however, trial and error.

More Printer Reviews

Want test results from more high quality inkjet printers? See our other in-depth printer reviews:
HP Envy 100 e-All-in-One Inkjet Printer Review – Does it print as great as it looks?
Epson Stylus Photo R1900 Ink Jet Printer Review
Canon Pixma iX7000 Large Format Ink Jet Printer Review